By David Baugher

Special to the Jewish Light

An era is coming to a close at Brith Sholom Kneseth Israel in Richmond Heights.

After more than two decades, Rabbi Mordecai Miller will be departing the congregation’s senior spiritual leadership post.

“It’s been a wonderful, wonderful learning experience and I’ve also enjoyed my work in the general Jewish community,” Rabbi Miller said. “It’s been a real pleasure.”

Miller said his exact plans are still in flux but he hopes to spend more time with family living in North Carolina.

“I want to try and be close to my family,” said Miller. “I have a grandson. I’m going to see what I can do to try and organize my life in such a way that I can be with them.”

BKSI President Susan Cort lauded the rabbi’s lengthy service with the congregation.

He’s an outstanding person,” she said. “He did the bar and bat mitzvahs of my three children and my friends’ children at the congregation. He’s a very special person and a great educator.”

Miller’s involvement with BSKI is not ending, however. He will continue to work lifecycle events from time to time and do scholar-in-residence programs as scheduling permits. He will also assume the title Rabbi Emeritus.

“He’s only been the third rabbi in our congregation in over 50 years,” said Cort. “We’ve had quite a winning streak on rabbis with long tenures with us.”

Miller said he had not yet made plans on whether he would continue living in St. Louis.

“Right now, there are all kinds of options that are available and I’m exploring them,” he said. “There’s nothing I can be specific about at this point because there is nothing specific.”

Miller said he’s loved his time at BSKI.

“I can tell you I’ve really enjoyed meeting various members and families,” he said. “I’ve loved sharing simchas with them and knowing I can serve to comfort them in moments of crisis. I love being a rabbi. I love my job. It’s been an honor and a pleasure.”

Miller, 62, is a native of Connecticut, though he grew up in South Africa. Returning to the United States in 1970, he attended rabbinical school in Cincinnati before joining a congregation in St. Paul, Minn. Later, he would serve in his first post as senior rabbi in Canton, Ohio before coming to St. Louis in 1991.

“I’ve had people who have been amazingly helpful to me as to my job,” he said. “I certainly could never have done it by myself. The support that I’ve had has been really outstanding.”

Cort said Miller’s 21-year tenure shows how much the congregation appreciates his service.

“We’ve just had a very wonderful history,” she said. “Everybody in town knows him.”

Miller’s predecessor Benson Skoff was also named Rabbi Emeritus. Miller said he feels himself in good company.

“It’s lovely thing and I’m happy to be sharing that with Rabbi Skoff,” he said.

Skoff, himself, recalled his successor’s ascension to the senior rabbi position, noting Miller’s passion for teaching. Serving between Rabbi Jacob Mazur, who passed away in 1958, and Miller, Skoff likened his own position to that of the Biblical Isaac.

“He had a great predecessor Abraham and he had a great successor Jacob,” said Skoff. “His job was to make sure that what Abraham taught was transmitted to Jacob. Each of these men was outstanding.”

Cort said no decisions have been made on a successor. An interim rabbi will be named in the meantime, though a candidate has not been selected for that post yet.